handle bar replacement

[igonzalezjr]

good morning all, i am new to this site and am very impressed with the information available for gw owners. i just purchased an 83 gold wing interstate, needs a little cosmetic work but the main drive train/motor appears to be in very good shape. the po dropped the bike and bent the handle bar on the left side. he was nice enought to purchase a new stock set for me though but i have to change them out myself. im just needing some help. how difficult is it to replace the handle bars. i know alot of the equipment is bolt on bolt off. i'm just confused with the grips. do they just slide off. thank you all and may your ride be safe.
isidro from las cruces new mexico

 

[BigAndrew]

:salute: Welcome to the site Isidro, Besides taking off all the stuff on the end of the handle bars, All i think holding on to the handle bars are 4 bolts at the base of the bars

 

[dan filipi]

Welcome to the forums.

The grips can be tricky.
The way I get them off is with a compressed air nozzle to blast air in between the grip and the bar. They usually slide right off.
Canned air might work too I've never tried it.

 

[tumunga]

I must disagree with Dan on this one...

To get the grips off, you must get a nice box cutter, and cut the grips off to use as an excuse to buy a new set of grips!!!! Then get you some leather covers with the long tassels on them. That's what I did. I even put about 30 skull beads on the tassels. Makes my baby look tuff!!! Well, no where near as tuff as BigAndrews cute bike.

:smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

 

[Joep]

Yeah the easiest way I did mine on a gs 550 after I bent the bars.. was to remove the clamp bolts at center.. then loosen the clamp bolts for the brake and clutch perches and the electrical boxes on the bars.. then the throttle and brake slides off to the right as the bars are moved to the left and the clutch and turn switch will slide off if the grip is not glued into place.. as Tumunga said.. great excuse for new grips.. and the grip length on these are 5 1/2 inches... if you use the chrome body ones then it don't matter.. the metal on the chrome body will keep the grip from bending and levering the grips off the bar and throttle..

 

[BigAndrew]

Makes my baby look tuff!!! Well, no where near as tuff as BigAndrews cute bike.

Thats right.... :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
:salute:

 

[igonzalezjr]

good morning all, thank you very much for the quick response. I appreciate it very much. I'll give it a try and let you all know. take care and ride safe
isidro, las cruces new mexico